HomeUnited KingdomDetailed guide: Living in Slovenia

Detailed guide: Living in Slovenia

What you should do

You should:

Coronavirus

You should follow the advice of the Slovenian Government and your local authority. You can also read our Slovenia travel advice for our latest guidance.

For information on getting a COVID-19 vaccine as a UK national in Slovenia see our coronavirus travel advice.

Stay up to date

You should:

Attend a citizen outreach meeting

The British Embassy regularly holds events for UK nationals. Attend one of our citizen outreach meetings to keep up to date on working and living in Slovenia.

The Withdrawal Agreement

If you were legally resident in Slovenia before 1 January 2021, your rights will be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement. You must apply for a new residence status by 31 December 2021 to secure your rights.

You should also read our guidance on living in Europe.

Visas and residency

If you were legally resident in Slovenia before 1 January 2021 you need to apply for a new residency document. You must apply for this document before your current residency document expires, or before the end of 2021, whichever comes first.

Apply for your new residency document at your local town hall (upravna enota). You may need to book an appointment.

For more information on the new residency document you can read the:

Moving to Slovenia

If you are moving to Slovenia, check the entry requirements for Slovenia and read the Slovenian government’s guidance on entering Slovenia.

Once you’ve held temporary residency in Slovenia for 5 years, you can apply to your local town hall (upravna enota) for a permanent resident certificate (Potrdilo o Stalnem Bivanju).

Healthcare

If you are resident in Slovenia, you must have health insurance.

You should obtain basic state health insurance through the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (Zavod za zdravstveno zavarovanje Slovenije). You can also pay for supplementary health insurance through private insurance providers.

Read the Slovene government’s guidance on eligibility and how to join the state health insurance scheme (in Slovene).

Read our guidance on healthcare options in Slovenia.

You can also read:

State healthcare: S1

If you have a registered S1 form and were living in Slovenia before 1 January 2021, your rights to access healthcare will stay the same if you are either:

  • receiving a UK State Pension
  • receiving some other ‘exportable benefits’
  • a frontier worker who lives in Slovenia and commutes to work in the UK

Read our guidance on using an S1 form in Slovenia to ensure you are correctly registered for healthcare.

European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

If you are resident in Slovenia, you must not use your UK-issued EHIC for healthcare in Slovenia.

If you were living in Slovenia before 1 January 2021, you may be eligible for a new UK-issued EHIC if you’re:

  • a UK student in Slovenia
  • a UK State Pensioner with a registered S1
  • a frontier worker with a registered S1

Apply now for a new UK EHIC.

An EHIC is not a replacement for comprehensive travel insurance.

For more information read our guidance on healthcare when travelling in Europe and advice on foreign travel insurance.

You should also read guidance on:

Passports and travel

You should carry your residence document, as well as your valid passport when you travel. If you have applied but not yet received your document, carry your certificate of application.

If you have not yet applied for a residence document, you should carry evidence that you are resident in Slovenia. This could include a tenancy agreement or a utility bill in your name, dating from 2020.

If you cannot show that you are resident in Slovenia, you may be asked additional questions at the border to enter the Schengen area, and your passport may be stamped on entry and exit. This will not affect your rights in Slovenia.

Passports

Check your passport is valid for travel before you book your trip. You can apply for or renew your British passport from Slovenia.

You must have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (not including Ireland). This requirement does not apply if you are entering or transiting to Slovenia, and you are in scope of the Withdrawal Agreement.

If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months needed.

Renew your passport before booking your travel if you do not have enough time left on your passport.

As a non-EEA national, different border checks will apply when travelling to other EU or Schengen area countries. You may have to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens when queueing. You may also need to show a return or onward ticket and that you have enough money for your stay.

Entry requirements

You can travel to other Schengen area countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa for purposes such as tourism.

To stay longer, than 90 days in any 180 day period, to work or study, or for business travel, you must meet the entry requirements set out by the country you are travelling to. This could mean applying for a visa or work permit. Periods of stay authorised under a visa or permit will not count against the 90-day limit.

Different rules will apply to EU countries that are not part of the Schengen area. Check each country’s travel advice page for information on entry requirements.

Travel to the UK and Ireland will not change.

Driving in Slovenia

If you are resident in Slovenia, you must exchange your UK driving licence for a Slovene one.

If you were legally resident in Slovenia before 1 January 2021, you must exchange your driving licence for a Slovene licence by 31 December 2021.

If you moved to Slovenia after 31 December 2020, you must exchange your licence within 12 months of becoming legally resident.

To exchange your UK driving licence you will need:

  • your current driving licence
  • valid medical certificate
  • a passport photo
  • proof you are a habitual resident in Slovenia
  • proof that you were resident in the UK when your UK driving licence was issued. The British Embassy has produced a letter which clarifies that UK driving licences are only issued to UK residents. Contact us if you require a copy

Check with your town hall (upravna enota) what further documentation you may need to exchange your driving licence.

For information on driving in Slovenia, read guidance on:

Driving in the UK with a Slovene licence

You can use your Slovene licence in the UK for short visits, or exchange it for a UK licence without taking a test. We will update these pages if there are any changes to the rules, as soon as information is available.

Bringing a UK-registered vehicle to Slovenia

Read our guidance on taking a vehicle out of the UK

Read the Slovene government’s guidance on car registration in Slovenia. You may be exempt from some of these taxes. If so, you will need certificates of exemption.

Working in Slovenia

If you were legally resident in Slovenia before 1 January 2021, you have the right to work, as long as you remain legally resident.

Read our guidance on working in an EU country.

You may need to apply for a UK police certificate.

If you are planning to come to Slovenia to work, you may need a visa.

Frontier workers

If you live in Slovenia and were regularly commuting to work in another EU or EFTA country before 1 January 2021, you may need a permit to show that you are a frontier worker. You must also apply for the new residency document in Slovenia.

If you live in the UK or another EU or EFTA country and regularly commuted to work in Slovenia before 1 January 2021, you may need a permit. The Slovene government has not yet confirmed the process to obtain a frontier worker permit. We will update this guidance as soon as information is available.

Money and tax

The UK has a double taxation agreement with Slovenia to ensure you do not pay tax on the same income in both countries. Ask the relevant tax authority your questions about double taxation relief.

Existing double taxation arrangements for UK nationals living in Slovenia have not changed.

Read guidance on:

National Insurance

Find out if you need to pay National Insurance in the UK or social security contributions in Slovenia.

Banking

You will need to get a tax number from your local tax office before you can open a bank account.

Whether UK banks can provide services to customers living in the EEA is a matter of local law and regulation. Your bank or finance provider should contact you if they need to make any changes to your product or the way they provide it. If you have any concerns about whether you might be affected, contact your provider or seek independent financial advice.

Read the Money and Pension Service guidance on banking, insurance and financial services changes for more information on cross-border banking

Pensions

Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Slovenia.

You will need to tell the UK government offices that deal with your benefits, pension and tax if you are moving or retiring abroad.

If you retire in Slovenia, you can claim:

Read the Money and Pension Service guidance on pension and retirement changes for more information on cross-border pensions.

Life certificates for UK State Pensions

If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you don’t.

Benefits

Read our guidance on entitlement to UK benefits and pensions while you are living in Slovenia.

Check which UK benefits you can claim while abroad and how to claim them.

Many income-related benefits such as pension credit and housing benefit cannot be paid to you if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.

You may be eligible to claim some Slovenian social security benefits – read guidance on social security benefits in Slovenia and Slovenian social security.

You can request proof of the time you’ve worked in the UK from HMRC if you are asked for this.

Voting

If you are registered as a permanent resident (Potrdilo o Stalnem Bivanju) in Slovenia you can vote in local elections. You cannot stand in local elections or vote in European Parliament elections.

You may be able to vote in some UK elections.

Births, deaths and getting married

If your child is born in Slovenia, you will need to register the birth abroad.

If someone dies in Slovenia you can:

You may also need:

Pets

If you have a pet passport issued by Slovenia or another EU member state, you can use it to travel with your pet to Great Britain and elsewhere in the EU.

A GB-issued EU pet passport is not valid for travel to the EU or Northern Ireland. You should speak to your vet before you travel to get the necessary pet travel documents and ensure you’re compliant with the EU Pet Travel Regulations.

Read guidance on:

Check the rules of the country you’re travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel.

Emergencies

You can dial the European emergency number 112 or dial 113 for the police in Slovenia.
If you are the victim of crime, have been arrested, or are affected by a crisis abroad, contact the British Embassy Ljubljana.

Accommodation and buying property

Read our guidance for buying a property abroad.

Returning to the UK

You must tell the UK and Slovene authorities if you are returning to the UK permanently.

To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre.

If you get healthcare in Slovenia through the S1 form, you must contact the Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 (0)191 218 1999 to make sure your S1 is cancelled at the right time.

Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanently which includes information on, amongst other things, tax, access to services and bringing family members.

Disclaimer

Please note that this information is provided as a guide only. Definitive information should be obtained from the Slovenian authorities. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information.

Source

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